TV & Showbiz
Diane Morgan delivers hilarious and heartwarming speech as she accepts honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton
It's no surprise, really — Philomena Cunk is one the greatest academics this world has ever seen.
Local actor, comedian and writer, Diane Morgan, recently accepted an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton and her acceptance speech is as heartwarming as it is funny.
Born in Farnworth, Bolton, Diane Morgan has gone on to become a well-known stand-up comedian, actor, TV presenter and writer, among many other things over the past two decades.
Probably best known for her appearances on numerous UK panel shows, Netflix’s Afterlife and as her Bafta-nominated character Philomena Cunk, she is, without doubt, one of the most prominent comics in the country — a fact which was acknowledged by her local university in a ceremony last week.
Presented with the degree during the institution’s final day of annual graduation ceremonies last week, the Cunk on Earth star gave a short, sweet and humorous speech to her fellow graduates, joking, “I should not be here”.
Starting by saying, “There’s been a dreadful mistake”, Morgan was happy to self-deprecate and she accepted the surprise honour, adding, “I got a G in maths. A G!”
Nevertheless, she expressed her gratitude to the university for their “generosity” and went on to shed further light on her long and winding road to success.
Regaling the audience with the story of how she “bumped into Maxine Peake who is also a Boltonian, when [they] were both auditioning to get into Manchester Polytechnic for the acting course” over 30 years ago, she explained that “neither of [them] got in” and it took “three long years” to be accepted.
In the time between bumping into Peake outside Bolton Town Hall and getting into drama school, she detailed her various jobs, from “packing worming tablets, selling fish and chips” and even spending time working as “an Avon Lady”. She also confessed she was sacked from almost all of them.
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Quipping that she lost one job at Bolton’s local Last Drop Village tea rooms because she didn’t know what a cream tea was, she went on to add: “I am here to tell you that anything is possible. If you’ve got passion and you work hard, you can do absolutely anything.
“Everyone told me that I wouldn’t be able to make it as an actress, that it was an impossible dream, that you’d need maths. You don’t need maths; you don’t need maths for anything… Take that Rishi Sunak!”
Having cracked up the crowd throughout, that final comment — a dig at the Prime Minister’s remarks that this country suffers due to an “anti-maths mindset” — was met with rapturous applause in a room filled with people who appreciate the arts just as much as they do numbers and the hard sciences.
We pass on our congratulations to Diane Morgan on her honorary doctorate and well-deserved moment of recognition, and hope her story can serve as a reminder that you can do whatever you put your mind to. We didn’t do well in maths either — suck it, Rishi.
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Featured Image — mia (via TikTok)/Netflix/University of Bolton
TV & Showbiz
A full series of The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to UK screens for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Britain’s much-loved version of The Apprentice is getting its first-ever full celebrity season next year as the series is set to copy the spin-off format seen in the US.
The popular reality TV show competition, where game-show meets the world of business, has been running here in the UK since 2005.
Now coming up 20 seasons and already well over 200 episodes, including specials, the producers have just as much of a challenge coming up with fresh ideas as the contestants do.
With that in mind, the BBC has now ordered the first dedicated The Celebrity Apprentice series, separate from the mainline show and set to run longer than previous iterations.
As confirmed by multiple sources – including one of renowned businessman and host Alan Sugar’s own advisors, Andrew Bloch – the first proper Celebrity Apprentice season will air in 2026.
Bloch explains that it’ll come in the form of a six-episode series that “will see a new line-up of famous faces take on weekly business challenges set by Lord Sugar, competing to avoid the words ‘You’re fired’ and ultimately be crowned The Celebrity Apprentice winner.”
While previous instalments in the celebrity version have either been attached to Christmas specials or the likes of Comic Relief/Red Nose Day in March, this inaugural fully-fledged chapter is set to take place sometime early next year, though an official release date is yet to be announced.
Speaking of seasonal episodes, any viewers who’ve never seen the show or at least not with recognisable household names starring in it, the 2025 festive special will be airing across two parts later this month.
You can see the trailer down below.
Speaking on the commission, BBC’s Head of Entertainment, Kalpna Patel-Knight, added: “The Apprentice is a much-loved part of the BBC’s entertainment offering, and we can’t wait to see how the celebrity candidates rise to the challenge when the series launches later in 2026.”
The lineup of special guests for next year’s series is yet to be confirmed, but the lineup for the upcoming Xmas episodes is as follows: AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon, Charlie Hedges, Eddie Kadi, Jake Wood, JB Gill, Kadeena Cox, Matt Morsia, Rob Rinder, Sarah Hadland, Shazia Mirza and Tom Skinner.
Skinner actually took part in the regular show back in 2009, helping launch his public persona, before going on to get involved in social media, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and even politics.
Have you seen the celeb version of The Apprentice before, and/or will you be watching this one?
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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (via BBC Media Centre)
TV & Showbiz
BBC is back looking for more Mancs to test their music knowledge and win £10,000
Emily Sergeant
Consider yourself a music fan? Spend your days with tunes on in the background? Would you be able to identify a song within the first couple of seconds?
Well, this might be your chance to win £10,000 then.
Once again, the BBC is back casting for the next series of its smash-hit competition show The Hit List, where contestants get their music knowledge put to the ultimate test, and the broadcaster is now looking for people from across Greater Manchester to apply and be in with the chance of winning a massive pot of cash.
The Hit List, presented by popstar couple Marvin and Rochelle Humes, sees three pairs of music-lovers go up against each other.
Across three rounds, the contestants attempt to identify huge hits from across the years, and the three teams must prove their ability to recognise songs from across all genres of music, both artist and song title, if they want to take home the win.
A casting call for the next series of The Hit List on the BBC website reads: “Could your love of music win you a £10,000 cash prize? We are looking for lively pairs of contestants to take part.”
Any one can apply to take part in the show, but producers and casting directors say they would particularly love to hear from couples, grandparent and grandchild, siblings, best mates, and parent and offspring.
“Anything goes, as long as you love your music and know your hits,” the casting call concludes.
Anyone who applies to the show must be a legal UK resident, and be available for potential filming dates in early March 2026 up in Glasgow.
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Although it’s a little further for Mancs to travel, thankfully, all travel and accommodation will be provided if your application is successful.
Fancy it then? You can find out more and stick an application in here.
Featured Image – BBC
